People Just Dont Understand The Enthusiast

[northernrail]

Im 13 years old and often have the mick taken out of me for being a Enthusiast now i have learned to take it and ignore it.
i hear stories of other enthusiasts (older Then Me) geting challenged, one person even told me that they were challenged at Clapham Junction (a heaven for EMU lovers).
have you any stories of being challenged at a station or bridge

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Im 13 years old and often have the mick taken out of me for being a Enthusiast now i have learned to take it and ignore it.
i hear stories of other enthusiasts (older Then Me) geting challenged, one person even told me that they were challenged at Clapham Junction (a heaven for EMU lovers).
have you any stories of being challenged at a station or bridge

There'll be plenty on here, you may just need to look back nthrough the old Tghreads (don't use search - it si awful on here!).

You'll generally find it'd just staff who are a bit <can't think of word> that oppose spotters, but it is idiots like the man at thurston (who was nearly splattered over Suffolk by a 170) that give you a bad name...

Out of interest, who takes the mick out of you?

 

[90019]

People Just Dont Understand The Enthusiast

Nothing new there.
The same goes for the majority of interests.

 

[4SRKT]

There seems to be three 'acceptable' interests in our society, and they are cars (not a technical interest in engines and suchlike, but cars as status symbols), Premiership Football, and shopping. You can be as interested/obsessed as you like in these and still be considered normal by the braindead sheep who constitute most of society. Anything else and you're 'weird', or 'an anorak' or 'autistic'.

 

[IanPooleTrains]

Oh, do not get me started on my bad experience at Lancaster with Northern Rail, that is all I am saying

 

[EltonRoad]

Nothing new there.
The same goes for the majority of interests.

Indeed. Just pursue your interest and enjoy it.

If people are getting challenged on stations it's probably because they're being a nuisance, maybe getting in the way or standing too near the platform edge.

There are plenty of stories of people with cameras being challenged, see elsewhere on the forum. But again, it's probably because they're ignoring the guidelines. If you respect others and follow any guidelines you'll be fine.

 

[NSE]

Yeah I have some sympathy with you mate, I'm 17 however I wouldn't dream of telling anyone at college. I must say having two classrooms at college overlooking the WAML/Cambridge-Hitchin line it takes all my effort not to look joyous when a frieght train or random working rolls past haha :L I think once the word 'enthusiast' is involved though any activity looks geeky to society but there we go :L

 

[northernrail]

Its ridiculous i was at Doncaster with a frend and i got thrown of the station by BTP as "i shouldnt be hanging around a station" and they didnt belive me even when i showed the books filled with loco numbers, we had to walk to the next station (wich took a hour) and get the train the long way home, lucky a Conducter let us of a fare

 

[Ibex]

Yeah I have some sympathy with you mate, I'm 17 however I wouldn't dream of telling anyone at college. I must say having two classrooms at college overlooking the WAML/Cambridge-Hitchin line it takes all my effort not to look joyous when a frieght train or random working rolls past haha :L I think once the word 'enthusiast' is involved though any activity looks geeky to society but there we go :L

I don't think it really matters where you are - you're still likely to get one or two who will take the mick. Even working at a busy mainline station we have the divide between staff - the enthusiasts, and the people who take the p*** out of the enthusiasts!

It's a shame people feel they can't be open about their interests with classmates / colleagues.

Its ridiculous i was at Doncaster with a frend and i got thrown of the station by BTP as "i shouldnt be hanging around a station" and they didnt belive me even when i showed the books filled with loco numbers, we had to walk to the next station (wich took a hour) and get the train the long way home, lucky a Conducter let us of a fare

That is quite ridiculous, especially at Doncaster which is somewhat of a 'hotspot'.

 

[4SRKT]

Regarding 'respecting guidelines' I'm not really sure why there should be any 'guidelines' beyond things that apply to anyone, such as not trespasssing etc. Made up rules about asking permission to take photos are just nonsense and don't deserve respect.

 

[EltonRoad]

Its ridiculous i was at Doncaster with a frend and i got thrown of the station by BTP as "i shouldnt be hanging around a station" and they didnt belive me even when i showed the books filled with loco numbers, we had to walk to the next station (wich took a hour) and get the train the long way home, lucky a Conducter let us of a fare

Maybe the way to avoid this happening in future is to "sign in" with the station manager, ie tell him what you're doing. Might be a bit embarrassing, but they'll be pleased you've done it and if anyone does approach you you can tell them you've got permission.

 

[CheshirePaul]

As a new Rail Enthusiast I have found that you get very few issues at stations within the North West of England anyway. I have been a aeroplane enthusiat for over 20 years and where some airports like Manchester accept that plane spotters enjoy there hobby and provide viewing areas like the viewing park most will try there hardest to keep you away and the airports and there staff treat you like criminals and go out of there way to be difficult for spotters.

 

[4SRKT]

Its ridiculous i was at Doncaster with a frend and i got thrown of the station by BTP as "i shouldnt be hanging around a station" and they didnt belive me even when i showed the books filled with loco numbers, we had to walk to the next station (wich took a hour) and get the train the long way home, lucky a Conducter let us of a fare

Did you take his number and complain? A station is a public place after all, so why shouldn't you be 'hanging about' irrespective of whether you are an enthusiast or not? Or maybe he wasn't wearing his number in an "I'm a Policeman so I'm above the law"-stylee?

 

[EltonRoad]

Regarding 'respecting guidelines' I'm not really sure why there should be any 'guidelines' beyond things that apply to anyone, such as not trespasssing etc. Made up rules about asking permission to take photos are just nonsense and don't deserve respect.

I didn't say respect guidelines, I said respect others. I suggested he follows any guidelines, which I think is reasonable considering he's 13.

 

[4SRKT]

As a new Rail Enthusiast I have found that you get very few issues at stations within the North West of England anyway. I have been a aeroplane enthusiat for over 20 years and where some airports like Manchester accept that plane spotters enjoy there hobby and provide viewing areas like the viewing park most will try there hardest to keep you away and the airports and there staff treat you like criminals and go out of there way to be difficult for spotters.

TBH I've found the same with railways. I'm not a new enthusiast by any means: I've been 'hanging about' stations for about 28 years, and haven't ever been challenged, except once by the Ada at Belfast Great Victoria Street last year, a situation I dealt with with a withering stare and a contemptuous shake of the head before carrying on taking a photo.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I didn't say respect guidelines, I said respect others. I suggested he follows any guidelines, which I think is reasonable considering he's 13.

Fair enough I suppose, but what are these 'guidelines' and why do they need to exist?

 

[northernrail]

Did you take his number and complain? A station is a public place after all, so why shouldn't you be 'hanging about' irrespective of whether you are an enthusiast or not? Or maybe he wasn't wearing his number in an "I'm a Policeman so I'm above the law"-stylee?

unfortunatly not, what really annoys me is that i have been with my dad other times and not a word from BTP, because im 13 dosent mean i can be a enthusiast on my own???

 

[YorkshireBear]

Yeah I have some sympathy with you mate, I'm 17 however I wouldn't dream of telling anyone at college. I must say having two classrooms at college overlooking the WAML/Cambridge-Hitchin line it takes all my effort not to look joyous when a frieght train or random working rolls past haha :L I think once the word 'enthusiast' is involved though any activity looks geeky to society but there we go :L

my close friends know and to be honest alot of people who arnt know too, i take a bit of stick about it, but its never nasty and everyones got things like that i would never feel i couldnt tell friends at worst... most people who know me at all know

 

[ralphchadkirk]

Did you take his number and complain? A station is a public place after all, so why shouldn't you be 'hanging about' irrespective of whether you are an enthusiast or not? Or maybe he wasn't wearing his number in an "I'm a Policeman so I'm above the law"-stylee?

A station is not a public place, it is private property.

 

[EltonRoad]

unfortunatly not, what really annoys me is that i have been with my dad other times and not a word from BTP, because im 13 dosent mean i can be a enthusiast on my own???

Of course you can, and you should be.

A possible explanation is that BTP are used to seeing kids mucking around on station platforms, and don't appreciate that people like you are genuinely interested in trains and not causing any trouble.

This is why I suggest signing in, then you won't need to defend yourself if challenged.

 

[northernrail]

my close friends know and to be honest alot of people who arnt know too, i take a bit of stick about it, but its never nasty and everyones got things like that i would never feel i couldnt tell friends at worst... most people who know me at all know

honestly school confuses me, because of my hobby i dont have many frends and even the little number of frends i have only one who respects me and will come with me to stations, but i cant afford to loose any frends so i have to put up with it

 

[4SRKT]

unfortunatly not, what really annoys me is that i have been with my dad other times and not a word from BTP, because im 13 dosent mean i can be a enthusiast on my own???

Possibly because I'm older it doesn't affect me as much: I think that society in general is much less tolerant of kids hanging about on their own than it used to be.

Another thing in my favour possibly (and nobody should take this the wrong way), but I look more like a normal than a crank, so in a sense am going undercover. Not saying that it's OK for staff/BTP to discriminate against people who are 'dressed appropriately' for hanging around on platforms: far from it: this is blatant nerdism
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

A station is not a public place, it is private property.

I mean it is a public place if you have permission to be there, which in the case of a railway station is hardly difficult to get. Like if you have a ticket or are intending to catch a train. It is after all the sort of private property where it is not altogether surprising to find people hanging about.

It's perfectly possible to be both a public place and private property anyway. Asda is private property, but the public are welcome to come and go as they please.

 

[northernrail]

i have to go now i will check again tomorrow.
thank you for your help

 

[Clip]

Its such a shame people think they have to hide their interests.. Being a rail enthusiast is no different in essence to the iphone/pad/apple fan boys though at least being a rail enthusiast you get out in the fresh air once in a while.

Everywhere i have worked i have encouraged the rest of the staff not to be over zealous when dealing with us all and even at my gated stations i tell my staff to let them down with a gate pass for a certain amount of time to take their pictures.

I have always found being polite to them all is the best way to get the best out of them but unfortunately some external bodies - like PCSOs for example - are too overzealous and think that they run my stations and start having a go until i politely tell them off for being mean and just wrong.. Though the threats of going to my boss/their Sargent about how im breaking what they think are laws always has me rolling with laughter when i offer to go with them and see the smile wiped of their face.

Dont give up and be disheartened by the media stories and dont feel too much that there is a stigma to this. Do your thing and enjoy it.

 

[4SRKT]

I'm quite open about my bashing life at work, and present it more as a kind of amusing quirk than anything else. But then I am the boss so people have to do what I say

 

[NSE]

my close friends know and to be honest alot of people who arnt know too, i take a bit of stick about it, but its never nasty and everyones got things like that i would never feel i couldnt tell friends at worst... most people who know me at all know

Oh my closest mate knows, and my most of my mates know I'm clued up with train times but I travel alot to see mates in London so I blame it on that :P
I personally don't care, but I s'pose I hang out as your average 17 your old and so no one would expect it of me and then really rip it out of me. It does intrigue me to think that many of the guys at college could also be interested in something like this without me knowing, but there we go. I s'pose thats why these forums are so popular as everyone has a place to feel happy and un alienated

 

[YorkshireBear]

Yeah I have some sympathy with you mate, I'm 17 however I wouldn't dream of telling anyone at college. I must say having two classrooms at college overlooking the WAML/Cambridge-Hitchin line it takes all my effort not to look joyous when a frieght train or random working rolls past haha :L I think once the word 'enthusiast' is involved though any activity looks geeky to society but there we go :L

shouldnt think like that, most of my friends who couldnt care less about railways know, they just occasionally take mic but in the way friends do, anyone who is nasty about it is not my friend simple as....

ive found no one is nasty about it anyway.... theyll just go okay take mik a few times then go back to COD

 

[NSE]

shouldnt think like that, most of my friends who couldnt care less about railways know, they just occasionally take mic but in the way friends do, anyone who is nasty about it is not my friend simple as....

ive found no one is nasty about it anyway.... theyll just go okay take mik a few times then go back to COD

Yeah I appreciate what your saying, but still I can garuntee people at a college like mine will still rip it out of me. I'm not following the crowd, therefore its ammo to poke fun at me. Not the best way to chat up a girl now is it
Ahh but regardless of interests, gotta love a bit of COD

 

[the sniper]

Its ridiculous i was at Doncaster with a frend and i got thrown of the station by BTP as "i shouldnt be hanging around a station" and they didnt belive me even when i showed the books filled with loco numbers, we had to walk to the next station (wich took a hour) and get the train the long way home, lucky a Conducter let us of a fare

I don't mean this to be rude, but I do slightly wonder if some facts have been omitted here. Photographers (including members of this board (I can hear Yorkie approaching already. )) have come to grief with the BTP before (and every other constabulary), but it is almost unheard of for someone to be removed from a station just for being there taking numbers. What were you and your friend up to? Where about on the station were you? What reason were you given for being approached?

I'm interested to hear more.

A station is a public place after all, so why shouldn't you be 'hanging about' irrespective of whether you are an enthusiast or not?

Technically, you're wrong. There's even a byelaw relevant to loitering:

CONTROL OF PREMISES
13. Unauthorised access and loitering
(1) No person shall enter or remain on any part of the railway where there is a notice:
(i) prohibiting access; or
(ii) indicating that it is reserved or provided for a specified category of person only, except where he belongs to that specified category.
(2) No person shall loiter on the railway if asked to leave by an authorised person.

'Hanging around' could presumably be viewed as loitering.

Still, it'd be interesting to hear both sides of the story. Sadly though unless the officer in question joins the forum, that isn't going to happen for certain.


Returning to the subject, I've never had any problems, be it from people I know or the authorities. Everyone in my year at school knew I was a railway enthusiast, everyone at my college knew I was and everyone where I work knows I am. Nobody has ever had a go at me for it, most are bemused or amused by it.

I suppose it's a case of being able to 'roll with the punches', if you're confident and willing to not take yourself to seriously, there's nothing that can be held against you for being into the railways. Like most bullying, confidence and how you come across to people is the key.

EDIT:

I personally don't care, but I s'pose I hang out as your average 17 your old and so no one would expect it of me and then really rip it out of me. It does intrigue me to think that many of the guys at college could also be interested in something like this without me knowing, but there we go. I s'pose thats why these forums are so popular as everyone has a place to feel happy and un alienated

This has been one of the most interesting aspects of being an 'outed' rail enthusiast for me. It's interesting how many (often hardcore) rail enthusiasts come out of the woodwork when people know that they're not alone!

EDIT2: Changed various spelling and grammar mistakes...

 

[tbtc]

Im 13 years old and often have the mick taken out of me for being a Enthusiast now i have learned to take it and ignore it.
i hear stories of other enthusiasts (older Then Me) geting challenged, one person even told me that they were challenged at Clapham Junction (a heaven for EMU lovers).
have you any stories of being challenged at a station or bridge

I've never had any bother myself...

...however, I'd like to say that I really with something like this was around when I was thirteen. It was impossible trying to keep up with the railway and learn about all sorts of news/ plans around the UK (when your paper-round means you can only afford one monthly magazine).

I hope that any young enthusiast can learn a million things from a well run forum like this, and gain an insight into the way the railway works, the way the railway sometimes doesn't work and the way the railway *could* work

 

[scotsman]

Mate, best thing to do is ignore them. Don't bring up the railways in conversation unless appropriate, they won't appreciate it. Just put it to the side when around folk that don't understand, don't hide it either, but just get on with things.

It's awkward I know, all my mates know I'm interested in the railways. They make the occasional joke about it, as do I about them. (Usually their mums to be honest...)